Moisture extracting apparatus



May 9, 1933. s. BUTCHER ET AL 1,908,284

MOISTURE EXTRACTING APPARATUS I Filed April 12, 1930 FIC I WITNESSES IINVENTOR:

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Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SETH BUTCHER, OFANDOVER, AND CHARLES]. WILDER, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORSTO THE PHILADELPHIA DRYING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA MOISTURE EXTRAGTINGAPPARATUS Application filed April 12,

This invention relates to machines or apparatus for extracting moistureor dust from cloth and the like incident to processingv or cleaningoperations. More specifically,

our invention has reference to what are known as tube extractors whereinthe cloth undergoing treatment is passed crosswise over a tube havinglongitudinally thereof, either a single slot or multiple slots, andwhich is in communication with a source of vacuum, so that the moistureor dust is removed from the cloth by suction.

In connection with machines or apparatus of the specific type referredto, the primary object of our invention is to keep the ends of the slotor slots in the suction tube, beyond the edges of the passing material,covered at all times.

Another object is to attain the indicated desideratum through provisionof a simple and reliable automatic suction-responsive means capable ofaccommodating lateral shifting or teetering of the material as it passesover the tube without imposing any restraint to free progression of saidmaterial thereover.

In the drawing: 7

Fig. I is a fragmentary plan view of a moisture extracting apparatusconveniently embodying our invention.

Fig. II is a View taken as indicated by the arrows II-II in Fig. I, witha portion of the slotted extractor tube broken away andin section toexpose important structural details.

Fig. III is a cross-sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowsIII-III in Figs. I and II; and,

Fig. IV is a view similar to Fig. I showing our invention in connectionwith an extractor of slightly different construction.

Referring first to Figs. I-III of the illustrations, the numeral 5designates the ex-.' tractor tube, said tube being in communication witha source of vacuum not shown).

inwardly directed extremity 8a of a medially 1930. Serial No. 443,907.

In the form of extractor here represented, the tube 5 has a continuouslongitudinal slot 6 across which cloth '0, for example, undergoingtreatment is passed with incidental re-. moval therefrom of moisture ordust by suction action. I p The novel automatic means which we providefor keeping the ends of the tube slot 6 beyond the edges of the passingcloth C closed, comprises a pair of elements 7 which are made fromflexible material like felt or rubber in strip form. The two ele'ments7are adapted to overlie the ends of the tube slot 6, and, as shown, eachis secured at oneend only to the pivoted member 8; I The fulcrum axes9for the members 8 are supported between inwardly directed side arms 10of brackets 11. From Fig. III, it will benoted that the'brackets 11 aremade, in two parts, with formation, each instance,of a clamp'portion'12to embrace the tube 5; screws 13 being employed at the tops and thebottoms of said brackets to secure them to the tube 5. It will,moreover, be noted that the. upper portions of the brackets 11 are yokedor arched, as at 14;,to afford the necessary clearance for free swing-jing movement of the outer ends" 86 of the members 8 whereon are mounteda number'of interchangeable counterbalancing weights 15.

In'the operation of our inventiomtheflexible elements 7 in responding tothe suction of the tube 5, will be held down over the ends of the slot'6after the manner. illustrated in Fig. II; while the portions of said.strips 80 which are inactive are held raised freeof surface contact withthe clothG under the influence of the counterbalancing weights 15 on themembers 8. By virtue of the described arrangement, the ends of the slot6inthe tube 80 5 are kept closed at all times up to the side edges of thecloth 0, without imposition of drag'likely to interfere with"progressionof said cloth overthe' tube 5. Incident tolateral shifting or teeteringofthe cloth 0-, for example toward the right of the center of the tube 5as shown in the illustrations, in adapting itself to such action, theflexible element 7 at the left will automatically cover up the furtherexposed portion of the tube slot 6 with incidental yielding of theassociated counterbalanced member 8. The slot end is thereby closed, asbefore, up to the edge of the cloth C, While the inactive portion of theflexible element 7 is held raised from contact with said cloth. With thedevice at the opposite or right hand side of Figs. I and II, the reverseof the above takes place concurrently, that'is to say: more of'theflexible element 7 is released and raised through clockwise movement ofthe member 8 under the influence of the counterbalanced weights 15.

The form of extractor illustrated'in Fig. IV is like the type of Figs.I-III except that the longitudinal slot ofthe vacuum tube 5a isinterrupted, or, to be more precise, comprises a number of short slotlengths 6a which are disposed at an inclination to each other. 5a doesnot entail any change whatever in the slot end closing devices, whichare again illustrated in Fig. IV and identified by the same referencenumerals previously employed.

Obviously, the character of the slots 6, or 6a, in the extractor tubes 5may be varied considerably and be continuous, staggered, or of compositearrangement, and the term longitudinal slot as used in the appendedclaims is to be construed as inclusive of any such variations, as may befairly considered within the scope of our invention.

From the foregoing it will furthermore be apparent that the slot closingmeans of our invention is responsive solely to suction and capable ofaccommodating the teetering action of the cloth or other material passedthereover.

. Having thus described our invention, We claim':

.1. The combination with a vacuum extrac-' tor tube having asinglelongitudinal slot, of automatic suction-responsive means adapted toaccommodate teetering of cloth passing over the tube in maintaining theends of said slot closed beyond the cloth edges, said means including apair of flexible elements to cover the slot ends, and counter-weightedpivoted members operative to yieldingly hold the inactive portions ofsaid flexible elements free of surface contact with the passing cloth. 7

2. The combination with a vacuum extractor tube having a singlelongitudinal slot, of

autgomatic suction-responsive means adapted to accommodate teetering ofcloth passing over the tube incident to maintaining the ends of saidslot closed beyond the cloth edges, said means including a pair offlexible elements to cover the slot ends,counterhalanced members flex be me t e of Su ac ont t with The modified construction of the tube thepassing cloth, and means on the tube affording said counter-weightedmembers pivotal support.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names at Lawrence,Essex County, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this 5th day of April,1930.

SETH BUTCHER. CHARLES J. WILDER.

yieldingly hold the inactive portions of the

